Drugs, cash and luxury goods seized in bust

Police have busted a Melbourne-based international crime syndicate, arresting 27 people and seizing drugs with a street value of almost $30 million.

The swoop was part of a 12-month operation targeting the south-east Asian syndicate, which allegedly imported and trafficked large quantities of drugs into Australia.

Federal and Victoria police seized 42 kilograms of heroin and methamphetamines, and more than $10 million in assets including: – $4 million cash.- $5 million worth of residential properties.- $600,000 in Crown casino chips.- $10,000 worth of jewellery.- 99 designer handbags and wallets and a Lamborghini.

Some of the items seized.

Commander David Sharpe, of the Australian Federal Police, said the 27 people arrested were key players in the syndicate, and the items seized displayed ‘‘extravagance and arrogance’’ from people profiting from crime.

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‘‘It’s personally quite satisfying when you see these people live this sort of lifestyle ... and you see them in tears when the handcuffs go on and their Lamborghini is on the back of a truck being towed away,’’ he said.

He said the drugs were manufactured in those countries, with Australia being the end point in the illicit trade. He said once in the country the transportation of drugs between states was ‘‘quite sophisticated’’, even using dummy fuel tanks installed in cars.

‘‘There are obviously numerous organised crime networks across Australia, this is just one. But this is quiet a major one as Victoria goes.’’

Six people were arrested – a 49-year-old Tarneit man, a Balwyn man, 48, a Box Hill man, 58, a 46-year-old Macleod woman, a 37-year-old Clayton South man and a Sunshine North man, 21. All have been charged with a range of offences including dealing in the proceeds of crime, and importing and trafficking drugs.

Mr Sharpe said there would be more arrests.

Victoria Police assistant commissioner Stephen Fontana there had been a dramatic rise in availability of methamphetamines, commonly known as ice, in Melbourne and believed crushing the crime syndicate would dent the illicit trade.

‘‘We have got a glut of ice and other types of drugs on our streets. I have got no doubt that the dismantling of this particular syndicate will have a significant impact on the availability of drugs within our community,’’ Mr Fontana said.

Nevertheless, Mr Fontana said Australia was vulnerable to international drug syndicates, and we only have ourselves to blame.

‘‘The sad part about it is we still have a culture within our community ... that’s it’s OK to take illicit and other types of substances, and while that attitude is there these international syndicates and other crime syndicates will continue to target our country.’’

The operation, codenamed Operation Volante, began in April 2012. Mr Sharpe could not give an exact time of how long the group had been operating in Australia, but said there were pre-plastic Australian banknotes in the haul, which could serve as an indication.